Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Victor Albert Keast # 1704 3rd Field Artillery Brigade
At first glance the reason for Victor Keast’s name appearing on the Coorparoo Methodist Memorial Plaque is unclear. Although his mother reported that he had attended Coorparoo State School, the family lived at Longland Street, East Brisbane and Victor gave his religion as Church of England. An examination of his file held in the National Archives reveals a letter from the secretary of the Tent of Mobray Rechabite Lodge; Mr H.M.Kidston. The Kidston family were well known in the congregation of the Coorparoo Methodist Church for several generations and it is perhaps this connection which explains Victor Keast’s name on the plaque.
Victor Keast enlisted on the 18th August 1914; the first day that recruiting in Brisbane began. He stated that he was single, 20 years old and his occupation was that of a moulder. He also stated that he had served two and a half years with the Citizens Forces in the artillery and on that basis he was drafted into the 3rd Field Artillery Brigade. The 3rd FAB was a support unit for the 3rd Infantry Brigade of the 1st Division AIF. A little over one month after Victor’s enlistment, the 3rd FAB embarked in Brisbane on the “Rangatira” bound for Broadmeadows in Victoria for training before sailing with the first contingent for Egypt.
The 1st Division AIF spent considerable time in Egypt in training before being deployed to the Dardanelles. It was originally planned that Victor’s brigade would land at ANZAC on the first day but the situation at the beach head was not favourable to the use of field artillery until several days after the landing. Victor and his battery of 18 pounder field guns were in constant action throughout the campaign, particularly during the battle of Lone Pine in August 1915.
With the closing down of the Gallipoli front in December 1915, the Field Artillery evacuated the peninsula and went through a period of re grouping before being sent to the Western Front. From May of 1916 through to July, the brigade was engaged in shelling in the sector of the front around the French Belgian border. Compared to ANZAC, the western front was far more suitable for artillery and by the end of July when the brigade was withdrawn to the Somme, the batteries had fired some 55,000 shells.
After the launch of the Somme campaign in July 1916, the 1st and 2nd Australian Divisions were thrust into the line at Pozieres in late July and August. The 3rd FAB in support of the 1st Division went into action in August of that year at Pozieres. When the 1st Division were withdrawn from the line, the artillery withdrew to wagon lines behind the front.
The brigade war diary reported that on 18th August 1916 : “ at 0905 hostile aeroplanes dropped 7 bombs in the wagon lines at Becourt Wood.” The casualties from this incident were 9 killed, 39 wounded and 15 horses killed. One of the wounded was Victor Keast. He was admitted to the 23rd South Midland Casualty Clearing Station with wounds to the right side, abdomen and left ankle. Victor died of his wounds four days later and was buried at Worloy Baillion Communal Cemetery just outside Albert.
Victor’s mother, Mary Ann, as next of kin did not receive notice of his wounding until 14th September with the terse telegram: “Regret report Victor A Keast wounded. Will promptly advise if anything further received.” She wrote back to base records the next day enquiring which hospital he was in; but the following day she was informed that her son had died of his wounds on 22 August, almost one month previously.
During the ensuing months, Victor’s mother wrote on several occasions to Base Records enquiring about his personal effects which were eventually returned to her; including an emu plume. The Australian War Memorial has in its collection a photo of Victor Keast, probably donated by his family, wearing his slouch hat with emu plume.
Mary Keast received a war pension of one pound per fortnight and a commemorative scroll. Victor’s medals; the 14/15 Star, Empire medal and Victory Medal, were issued to his father; John Keast. The Rechabite Lodge payed a funeral benefit to Victor’s parents.
Today on the site of a ruined windmill which had comprised the major defensive position above the village of Pozieres there is a commemorative stone which reads:
“The ruin of the Pozieres windmill which lies here was the centre of the struggle on this part of the Somme Battlefield in July and August 1916. It was captured by Australian troops who fell more thickly on this ridge than on any other battlefields of the war.”